People and their Decisions
Standing on the Deck of the SS Haimun a man stares across the ocean to the Chinese coast. The Russians know he’s sending wireless messages to his superiors. But a spy he’s not. He’s actually a reporter, a war correspondent for The Times. He loved his job too. He’d being all over the world including; the wars in India and South Africa, and at only thirty four has his whole life ahead of him. Now he faced the decision of his life.
The Russians had sent an ultimatum. He’d not being named personally but it was obviously aimed at him. Any neutral ships carrying radio which may give away their position would be seized. That was two days ago and the Haimun was currently heading to back to the British controlled Weihaiwei. This was a disaster. Most people thought the Japanese would be crushed but after looking at the state of the Japanese he was not at all sure anymore.
This was the first real war between two great powers since the formation of Germany, and that hadn’t involved naval warfare. That’s when it hit him. He had to see the Captain. No way was he letting these Russian bastards keep him from the story of the decade.
Sometimes people make decisions which have unprecedented consequences. The man on the ship by the Chinese coast is Lincoln James. His claim to fame in our timeline was as the first person to report a war wirelessly during the action. His ship was boarded several times by the Japanese and the Russian ship, Bayan, had even fired at him. Despite assurances by the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Lansdowne, that the Russian threat was "unjustifiable and altogether absurd", James stopped after the ultimatum. In this timeline he changes his mind. And as we will find out, one decision can change the world.
After three months running rings around the Russians the SS Haimun was finally captured, boarded and Lincoln James arrested for espionage. The Times report which follows enrages the British public and the foreign office finds they have a diplomatic incident on their hands. But what happens on October the 21st made the James Incident seem like a walk in the park. I’m talking of the Dogger Bank Incident. Now there are some events in history that really do require a face-palm and the Doggar Bank Incident is one such event.
After the Japanese destroy the Russian Pacific Fleet, the Russians send out their Baltic Fleet to go all the way around the world for some revenge. As they enter the North Sea the drunken captain of the supply ship Камчатка mistakes a Swedish ship for a Japanese Torpedo boat and radios in he is under attack. Later officers take British trawlers on the Doggar Bank as more Japanese Torpedo boats and open fire killing; three and wounding six.
This, combined with the Lincoln James fiasco, causes the British press, the British people, and the British government to take a decisive anti-Russian swing. This is highly dangerous to the Russians due to the recent Anglo-Japanese alliance. France is also concerned. They’ve managed to bring Britain into the continental alliance system very recently with the Entente cordiale. Now this looks like it could be under threat: what with of course the French alliance with the Russians against the Germans.
The British Foreign Office demands the release of Lionel James, compensation for the victims and the internment of those responsible. The media begin to call the Russians ‘Pirates’ while the Japanese are actively supported by large numbers of the policial and social establishment. There’s even mobilisation of the British armed forces before France convinced Russia to relent. Lincoln James was one to hold a grudge. His articles after his release are seen as one of the key reasons for the Anti-Russian feelings which continued to fester in the Country, describing his treatment in the most vivid and dark language for the time.
Meanwhile, in the conflict zone the Japanese prove themselves to be much stronger than everyone has given them credit for. They have taken Port Arthur or, as the Japanese will call it, Ryojun, to the surprise of the rest of the world. They then managed to capture Mukden completing the rout of Russian Forces in Manchuria. After the Japanese victory in the sea Battle of Tsushima, the Russians basically haven’t a navy left either and the result of this war becomes a forgone conclusion. The Japanese, with memories of the results of the peace treaty of the Sino-Japanese War ask Britain formally to aid them at the peace table knowing they want to punish and weaken Russia.
Meanwhile events in Europe continue to develop. The British press announce that the French have funded half the war for the Russians. The anti-Russian feeling soon becomes anti-French as well. Many ask why they should favour the Frogs over the Germans considering their support for the Pirates. There was a distinct increase in the number of people advocating isolation from European alliances. Lord Lansdowne was also told that the alliance with French was quote “Not the top priority at the moment”. That’s when Germany decided in her ‘infinite wisdom’ that the time was ripe for Emperor William II to assert German equality with France in Morocco, triggering the Moroccan Crisis.
Russia begins to look for peace and Roosevelt believes he’s the man for the job. The British contact the Americans and explain to them what the Japanese will accept. France announces they too will also be at the peace conference to help Russia. The next two months will be spent convincing the Russians, and the French, they really have no choice but to accept the terms presented; at the same time events in Morocco push Britain and France to breaking point.
Britain then convinces Spain that an independent Morocco would be for the benefit of everyone (except France). Spain’s endorsement is enough to remove the French protectorate and in the following years both Germany and Britain would join France in Morocco and provide significant investment. It also marks the end of the brief Entente cordiale and Germany couldn’t be happier. Shortly after Britain decides to play high stakes poker in America telling France and Russia that if they don’t accept the terms of the peace Japan and Britain will leave and continue the war. France knew this would create a general war in Europe which they would lose since Germany would almost certainly bring in the Triple Alliance.
Roosevelt is furious since he hates the treaty. It gives Japan reparations which he’s firmly against and he feels Britain has stolen his thunder; he does not receive the Nobel Peace prize. When France convinces Russia to accept defeat and that the war is over nobody thanked her. The Japanese thank the British while the Russians are furious and in the grip of revolution. Immediately after Britain and Japan renew and strengthen their alliance. The French is terrified since their only ally has just been beaten by the Japanese and their empire looked very vulnerable.
So you can see how one person can change the world?
